The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D., the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D., and Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation and Research and Development, John Halligan T.D. have just announced capital funding of €8 million for 10 Institutes of Technology.

This Government is committed to more than doubling the number of new apprentices registered to 9,000 by 2020 and expanding further into new areas. Budget 2018 allocated €122m for apprenticeship training, an increase of almost 24% on the previous year. This will allow the Government to deliver 10 more apprenticeship programmes and over 6,000 more apprenticeship registrations in 2018.

The funding announced today will enable the Institutes of Technology to purchase equipment and carry out enabling works for the delivery of new syllabi in 13 existing apprenticeship trades from 2018, in the following areas –

• Mechanical, Automation, and Maintenance Fitting (MAMF)
• Industrial Installation
• Sheet Metalwork
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Vehicle Body Repairs
• Wood Manufacturing and Fitting
• Brickwork
• Painting and Decorating
• Agricultural Mechanisation
• Toolmaking
• Electronic Security Systems
• Electrical Instrumentation & Instrumentation
• Electrical

This investment will support an estimated 2,300 additional apprentices that will commence in one of these programmes in 2018 once the works are complete.

Announcing the funding, Minister Bruton said: “Apprenticeships were one of the great casualties of the recession – registrations fell by 80% over the period. I am determined during my time as Minister to not only reverse this trend and rebuild traditional pathways but to significantly expand apprenticeships into new industries. “Building strong pathways to education is key to delivering on our ambition to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.”

“We’ve committed to doubling the number of apprenticeships and traineeships by 2020. Today’s investment will enable Institutes of Technology across the country to purchase equipment and update their infrastructure so that they can deliver a new modernised syllabi in 13 trades – from Brickwork to Aircraft Maintenance, supporting almost 2,300 apprentices that will commence one of these programmes this year.

“Apprenticeships and traineeships offer fantastic opportunities and I’d encourage any person interested to consider them when looking at their career options.”

Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “I am delighted that nearly €8 million is being invested to support the modernisation of the syllabi for another 13 apprenticeship programmes in our Institutes of Technology.  The further roll out of new apprenticeship syllabi, and this additional funding, will enable the institutions to ensure that apprentices are getting the most up-to-date and industry relevant programmes available.”

Minister Halligan said: “We are committed to more than doubling the number of new apprentices registered to 9,000 by 2020. In Budget 2018 we allocated €122m for apprenticeship training, an increase of almost 24% on the previous year.  This will allow for the delivery of 10 more apprenticeship programmes and over 6,000 new apprenticeship registrations in 2018.  The provision of this further funding shows the Government’s commitment to our apprenticeship system.”